


Mercy

by sincerelyhim



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/F, Friends to Lovers, Homophobic Language, cheryl is gay, choni au where the three queer girls play softball, for now, jason is alive
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-06
Updated: 2018-07-08
Packaged: 2019-06-05 04:16:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15162452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sincerelyhim/pseuds/sincerelyhim
Summary: Cheryl knew she wasn’t straight since junior high but was shamed into hiding by her strict, religious parents. Two years later, Cheryl started high school at the Sisters of Quiet Mercy, an all girls Catholic school. She was determined to prove to her parents that she was the ideal daughter they had wished for. Set on being involved in as many extracurricular activities as possible, Cheryl decided to try out for the school’s softball team, where she met Toni, the girl that helped Cheryl overcome the many trials and tribulations she faced at home.orchoni au where cheryl has internalized homophobia, & toni helps her work towards overcoming it





	1. Evolution of Bombshell

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter 1 includes a bit of the Cheryl/Heather dynamic, but it's just to show a bit of Penelope's relationship (or lack of one) with Cheryl. From here on out, it's all about Choni :')

Riverdale was a small, fairly conservative town, and the Blossoms were a highly respectable family in the Church community. Penelope and Clifford Blossom were active members of the local Church, and they had made it their mission to shelter their children from the outside world, as they did not want them to be tainted by the faults of today’s society. 

In junior high, Cheryl’s parents introduced her to this girl named Heather. She had long, blonde hair that fell in waves down her back and the most inviting green eyes. Heather was the daughter of one of Clifford’s Church friends, a reputable man with morals that aligned with those of his own. For that reason, Penelope and Clifford found it acceptable for Cheryl to spend time excessive time with Heather, thinking she would be a good influence on Cheryl. 

The blonde would come over every day after school to do homework, eventually spending the night at Cheryl’s every weekend. After several weeks of deep, late night conversations with her friend, Cheryl found herself enamoured by the girl. She wanted to spend every waking minute with her. 

Heather loved her in a way that made her feel alive. She listened to her in a way that her parents never did, as they were always too preoccupied with Jason’s life and his own well-being that they never seemed to pay attention to Cheryl. 

One day after class, Cheryl decided to open up to her other best friend, Veronica Lodge, about her feelings for the girl. Veronica was originally from New York but moved to Riverdale following her mother’s divorce from Hiram Lodge, a twisted and renowned criminal. When Cheryl first met Veronica in sixth grade, she was astonished by the girl’s raven black hair and the confidence that she radiated. She only saw it fit that they become best friends.

“Veronica, I think I might have a crush on someone in our class.”

“Who? Is it that boy with the red hair? You two would make a rather attractive couple, if I do say so.”

“No.”

“Is it that boy that always wears a weird hat?”

“Not him either.” With each question about a boy, Cheryl got more and more nervous about where this conversation was heading. 

“Then who is it, Cheryl? I’ve already named the two most popular boys in our class, and I know Cheryl Blossom only cares for those at the top of our class.” 

“It’s,” Cheryl struggled to tell Veronica about her feelings, as she’s never opened up to anyone about these particular thoughts before, “not a boy.” Cheryl finished her sentence in such a hushed tone that it took Veronica a second to register what she said.

Cheryl took Veronica’s silence as disdain for what she was admitting.

“Sorry, I knew this was something I should have kept to myself. I apologize for inconveniencing you with my thoughts.”

“No, Cheryl, it just took me an extra second to decipher what you actually said. You spoke so quietly. I could barely make out your words.”

“Oh. So you don’t hate me for my admission?"

“Of course not, Cher. I could never hate you, especially over something like this. Tell me more about her. I want to hear all about the girl that makes you feel this way.”

Cheryl began to explain her affection for Heather, telling Veronica about how she made her feel cared for and valued. 

“It’s different than what I feel for you, which are strictly platonic thoughts. Don’t worry.” She did her famous smirk and wink, and then continued, “Lately, I just want to be physically close to her.”

“Have you told her about these feelings?”

“No. I have yet to tell anyone but you about my feelings for her. It frightens me that it could change our friendship. I just don’t want to lose her. Besides you, she’s the only other person who has dared to get to know me despite my family name.”

Being from New York, Veronica was not exactly keen on the status of the Blossom family. When she did find out that Cheryl’s family was so religiously affiliated, her friendship with Cheryl never wavered. She had been friends with Cheryl ever since she got to Riverdale. She didn’t see why other people were so intimidated by the girl’s family. 

“I think you should tell her about how you feel. The risk could certainly pay off in your favor, and this could be your first chance at a romantic relationship.”

Cheryl decided to take Veronica’s advice. She no longer wanted to repress her feelings. It was certainly getting exhausting. Instead, she wanted to share them with the girl that meant so much to her. 

During one of their weekly sleepovers, Cheryl tried to open up to Heather about how she felt. 

“Heather,” she began in a hushed tone, “your presence here with me is greatly appreciated. I feel safe when you’re by my side. You help me feel significantly less alone.” 

Heather could tell that Cheryl had more on her mind, so she reached her hand out to intertwine her fingers with Cheryl’s, hoping she would continue to share what she had on her mind. 

“Mother and Daddy only ever pay attention to JJ, always forgetting that I too exist. But you— you make me feel as if I’m the only person in your world. In a home that makes it seem as if I cannot even be heard, you make me feel as though someone is actually listening. You don’t just hear my thoughts. You listen to them.”

“I’m your best friend, Cheryl. I’m just doing what every best friend would do.”

“Certainly that may be true, but I simply wanted to verbalize just how much I appreciate all that you do for me. You make me feel wanted, as if I am actually valid.”

Heather’s love for Cheryl was pure and selfless. She didn’t see any harm in it. 

“I care about you a lot, Cheryl.” Heather tightening her grip on Cheryl’s hand, hoping to properly convey the emotion behind her words. “I hope you can see how much I love you,” she continued, looking softly into her eyes, “and there isn’t a single place I’d rather be than right here with you, listening to you. I love the sound of your voice, and I especially adore it when we’re able to talk just the two of us.” 

Cheryl smiled shyly at the emotion behind Heather’s words. The two girls were staring fondly at each other, lost in each other’s touch. 

It was in that moment that Penelope found the two girls in Cheryl’s bed together. As her eyes flitted to the girls’ intertwined fingers and close proximity on the bed, she began to question their friendship, thinking that maybe allowing Heather into Cheryl’s life was not a good idea. The expression on her face shifted from bewilderment to outright disgust. 

No daughter of hers would exhibit homosexual tendencies without discrediting the Blossom name. They were the local model Catholics, and this abnormal lifestyle was not to be accepted under Penelope’s roof.

“Cheryl, do you know what the Bible says in Leviticus 20:13?” Penelope looked at her, expecting her to recite the proper line.

Instead, Cheryl stared back at her with a blank face, unfamiliar with the verse her mother was referencing.

After giving Cheryl more than enough time to recall the verse, she began, “It says, ‘If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination.’ I don’t want any of that sort of deviant behavior in my house.”

Penelope’s words, as well as her hostile countenance, forced the two girls to move apart. Heather took one look into Cheryl’s eyes, and all she could see was fear. The way Penelope had regarded them when she walked into the room made Cheryl shiver. She was overcome with shame. It was like her mother could sense the intimate conversation between the two. 

“With all due respect, Mrs. Blossom, your daughter is my best friend. We weren’t doing anything wrong. The air matress on the floor hurt my back so Cheryl offered me the other side of the bed.” Heather tried explaining the situation to the older woman, who was not impressed with the girl’s words. 

She wasn’t exactly lying. They were simply talking, and Cheryl had suggested Heather join her on the bed when she started to complain about how her back was hurting as she laid on the air matress.

“Heather,” Penelope raised her voice as she spoke with conviction, “I think it’s best if you go now. I need to speak with Cheryl.”

Not wanting to make things worse for her friend, Heather began packing up her stuff and quickly left Thornhill. She took one last look at Cheryl, wanting to say goodbye, but Cheryl did everything in her power to avert her gaze. Once Heather was out of ear’s distance, Penelope rambled on about how repugnant Cheryl’s behavior had been as of recent. 

“The sleepovers end now,” Penelope said as she looked at Cheryl coldly, wanting her to bask in the shame she knew she put upon her, “and do not bother arguing. It’s late. Go to bed, Cheryl.”

Cheryl couldn’t sleep that night. She was overcome with fear. Had her mother heard her conversation with Heather? They were in the middle of verbalizing their feelings for each other. Cheryl knew exactly just how much Heather loved her, and she was also aware that she loved Heather back with just as much ardor. Yet, Cheryl questioned if this love was enough— enough to overpower the shame that she felt because of that love. 

She was aware of the Church’s teachings about homosexuality, but she had never seen anything wrong with being gay. 

“Isn’t God’s message one of love, not hate?” Cheryl thought to herself. 

She did not understand how there could be anything wrong or impure about love. The impact of Penelope’s words compelled Cheryl to question her initial convictions. Maybe she was wrong to love Heather. She did not want to go to hell, which was where Penelope told her she would end up, given she kept tending to her aberrant desires. She just wanted to be normal.

So that’s what she strove for the following two years: perfection. Cheryl cut all ties with Heather, as per Penelope’s request. She realized that she had indeed alienated herself from God and his teachings. With that said, Cheryl vowed never again to give in to her perverse desires. 

To help her do so, she focused the entirety of her being on her schoolwork. She wanted to ensure that she got the top marks, wanting to do better than Jason and taint the image his parents had of him being the golden child. Ever since her last encounter with Heather, she had worked towards being the top of her class. As expected, she graduated from junior high as valedictorian, and in her speech, Cheryl reflected on her journey to the top.

“As we leave junior high for high school, we must hold the memories that we’ve made here close to our hearts, while also opening ourselves to opportunities to create new memories with those that we meet in high school,” she remarked, thinking back fondly on all the memories she had created with Heather. She hoped that one day, she’d be able to love someone in the same way she loved Heather. 

“As we move forward in our lives, we must remember our journey to get to where we are currently and the people that have altered our beings for the better. I would like to take a moment to thank those of you who have done so for me.”

“To Veronica Lodge, my best friend and partner in crime, thank you for always supporting me through it all. I look forward to continuing to make memories with you.” She smiled sincerely at Veronica, wanting to clearly convey just how appreciative and grateful she she was to have her as her best friend. 

“To my brother Jason, thank you for being someone I could always look up to and admire.” Despite not being her parent’s favorite child, she was grateful to have a big brother to protect her throughout high school. She may have been wary about what was to come, but she knew that Jason would certainly be by her side every step of the way.

“And lastly, I would like to offer thanks to my parents, Penelope and Clifford Blossom, for doing everything in their power to drive me to this point— to success,” she said, deciding to make a minute jab at the hold her parents had on her and her every action. 

Cheryl emphasized the word “everything,” hoping Penelope and Clifford would understand the meaning behind her words. For the past two years, Cheryl repressed the pain and anguish she felt from having Heather ripped right from her arms, destroying the one possibility Cheryl had at requited love, but as she stood on the stage, giving her speech, she could only wish that the young blonde would smile back at her. Cheryl knew better. She knew that Penelope had done a good job at scaring Heather away, and Cheryl had followed through on ignoring the blonde.

The redhead certainly despised her parents for taking away everything good she had going for herself and her social life, and forcing her to focus on school. 

“My parents have always been role models for me. If at any time they felt I was moving away from the fixed future they had for me, they helped steer me back towards the light. They helped mold me into the person I am today, and I thank them dearly for all they have done for me,” Cheryl expressed her thoughts with a bit of passive aggression in her voice. She still smiled at the crowd, not letting them see that she was slightly broken after the torment her parents had put her through. 

“To the Class of 2016, may we continue to shine God’s light upon the world. Congratulations to us all.”

After the graduation ceremony, Cheryl took pictures with Veronica, as well as Jason. They were the two most important people in her life, and she certainly did not want to remember anyone else from their time in junior high. 

* * *

That fall, Cheryl started high school at the Sisters of Quiet Mercy, a Catholic, all girls school. She was determined to continue proving to her parents that she was the picture-perfect daughter they had wished for.

Although, that didn’t stop the first day of school jitters. She did not let anyone see that she was nervous about this new chapter of her life, but internally, she was freaking out. Cheryl didn’t know what to expect, so she thought it would be best to be fully prepared for anything her new teachers would throw her way. 

However, Penelope may have acted as a slight hindrance to her desires.

Just as Cheryl was about to leave for school, her mom caught sight of her.

“Cheryl, isn’t that skirt a little short? No daughter of mine will dress like a whore on the first day of classes,” she snarled, looking at her with nothing but disgust. Penelope was furious. 

Cheryl may have gotten her uniform skirt altered. So what? She knew she would be slut shamed, but she didn’t expect it from her own mother. She just wanted to show off her legs. After all, she did work hard for them to get them as toned as they were. 

The teenager didn’t have the energy to fight with her mom today. She just wanted to have a good first day of high school, just like any other kid. 

“Sorry, Mother, that my taste in clothing is not as conservative as yours,” Cheryl retorted and walked out the door, hoping that she would make it to school on time regardless of her mother’s attempt to ruin the day. 

Unfortunately for her, the Sisters of Quiet Mercy sat upon a hill, meaning that Cheryl had to climb several stairs just to get to her locker on the third level. After running up the stairs to get to her locker, Cheryl looked at all the books she had, wondering what exactly she would need. 

“Ok, A Block I have Advanced Honors Algebra. B Block is English I Honors. After that, I have P.E., Honors Biology, and Religion. Then, I end my day with Spanish and Honors World History.” Cheryl recounted her schedule, making a mental note of what books she would need for each class. However, she wasn’t sure if she would need all of the novels for English.

Indecisive and with only 10 minutes left until A Block, Cheryl called over her cousin to ask for her advice.

“Cousin Betty, are you taking all the novels to English?” 

Betty looked back at Cheryl with a confused look on her face.

“Cheryl, it’s the first day of classes. I doubt we’ll need any novels at all.” 

With the knowledge that Betty wasn’t bringing any books to classes, Cheryl made her decision. She frantically took all the novels out of her locker and shoved each of them into her backpack. She wanted to appear prepared for class after all. 

Cheryl may have thought highly of herself for being over-prepared, but to others, she just seemed out of her mind. She was so focused on throwing every single book possible into her backpack that she was unaware that she was being watched.

Toni Topaz’s locker was only five down from Cheryl’s, meaning she had a perfect view of the distressed girl forcing ten novels too many into her backpack, which refused to close. Toni looked at the redhead with an amused smirk on her face. She felt compelled to tell the girl that she wouldn’t need all those books for the first day of class, but the first bell rang, signaling that she had only 5 minutes to get to class. With that, she took off for her first class, Religion. 

To Toni’s dismay, she didn’t see the girl for months. That was, until the day of softball tryouts, where she recognized the redhead talking to Veronica, who Toni knew from a Bible camp she previously attended. She walked up to the two girls, hoping that Veronica would formally introduce them to each other.

“Veronica, I didn’t know you placed softball!” 

“Oh Toni, fancy seeing you here, as well.” Veronica greeted Toni with a smile on her face, happy to see another familiar face. After all, they were freshmen, and trying out for the softball program was slightly intimidating. 

“I haven’t seen you in years. How have you been? Still dating Archie Andrews, I assume?”

“Actually, I’m dating Betty Cooper. Bet you didn’t see that one coming.” Veronica laughed at herself, thinking back on the days she thought she was straight. 

“Wow, the Veronica Lodge is gay?” Toni questioned, with that same amused smirk on her face that she had when she saw Cheryl for the first time.

“Bisexual actually.”

“Join the club.” Toni wasn’t afraid to be open about her sexuality. She was proud to love, and she found it unfortunate that some people closed them off to the idea of being loved and loving others.

Feeling left out of the conversation, Cheryl coughed to obtain their attention. 

“Who’s this?” Cheryl asked, wanting to know more about who this short girl with pink highlights adorning her hair was. She admired the girl for having such noticeable highlights, as it was against their dress code to have hair color that derived from that of their natural one. This girl was bold, and she wanted to know more about her. 

“My apologies. Toni Topaz, meet Cheryl Blossom!”

“Hi, I’m Cheryl Blossom aka Cheryl Bombshell,” she winked at Toni, “but you can just call me Bombshell.” 

“Alright Bombshell, I’m Toni, and I have a feeling we’ll be seeing a lot more of each other.”

Unbeknownst to Cheryl, that introduction only kickstarted the fire that was Toni Topaz and the effect she had on her world. Her entire livelihood was about to change for the better, all thanks to this one small girl.


	2. Softball Daze

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first day of softball tryouts gives Cheryl and Toni a chance to bond. That is, if Cheryl allows herself to open up to the idea of someone else in her life.

Cheryl was surprised with how open Veronica and Toni were about their sexuality. She knew Veronica was bisexual ever since the start of their time at the Sisters of Quiet Mercy (SOQM). Even though Cheryl was repressing all thoughts about her own sexuality, Veronica was upfront about hers. Hermione had raised her daughter to be open to love and didn’t make her feel ashamed, as Penelope had done to Cheryl.

As Cheryl got older, her parents’ hold over her and the friends she was allowed to make slowly lessened. They did not stop her from being friends with Veronica, even after learning that she was dating Cheryl’s cousin, Betty. After all, they were family. They certainly did not accept Betty and Veronica’s lifestyle, but Penelope and Clifford were coming to terms with the fact that they would not be able to control who their daughter was friends with as she went off to high school. All they could do was try to teach their daughter right from wrong and hope that their own daughter would not follow them down the same sinful path.

Following her fallout with Heather, Cheryl relied on Veronica for emotional support. Veronica tried to convince her that there was nothing wrong with love. She wanted her to understand that her feelings for Heather did not make her lesser than a girl falling for a boy.

Cheryl tried to hear Veronica out, and for a while, she had believed Veronica’s words. But concurrently, on nights where it was difficult to rest, she would lay in bed, flashing back to the moment Penelope found them in bed together. She would remember Penelope’s face. The disgust. The hate. The disapproval. Then, she would remember how her own mother referred to her behavior as _deviant_.

It made Cheryl feel sick and unwanted. She didn’t want to feel that. So she kept pushing her attraction to girls to the side.

However, here she was. She found herself intrigued by Toni, wanting to know more about this daring girl. Cheryl was dumbfounded, almost, that a girl so intrepid was even allowed into their school.

Cheryl was shaken out of her thoughts by a shove from Veronica, urging her to respond to what Toni had previously said.

“I concur. We most likely will be seeing more of each other, given all three of us make Varsity. Veronica over here has been playing softball ever since she was five, and I, myself, since the mere age of six,” Cheryl retorted, quickly regaining her composure.

She had always been into sports. It offered her a sense of community that she did not find in her Church. Yet, she still tried to form a relationship with God, simply to please her parents.

“Wow. You both have been playing since tee ball. Guess you’ve had time to polish up your skills.” Toni was impressed with the duo. As she took in their physiques, it was not hard to guess that they worked out often.

“How long have you been playing? I have a rather good memory, and I feel as though I would remember playing you. Did you ever play for the city?”

“No, I actually only started playing during middle school. I played for our school’s team. The coach must have thought I was a natural because I was a part of our starting infield.”

“I must say that I’m impressed. What position do you play?” Cheryl may have been afraid to show it physically, but she was rather intimidated by this girl. Being a part of the starting infield when you first start playing must mean she’s good. That also meant that she had a couple of years to practice and refine her talent.

“First. Not to brag, but I can catch anything that comes my way.” Toni was confident in that statement. It may have been a slight exaggeration, given some people just cannot seem to throw within Toni’s stretching distance. She may have had shorter legs than most first basemen, but Toni was capable of doing a wicked lunge to catch balls that weren’t thrown directly at her glove.

“Interesting. Let’s see if you can handle what I throw at you, given the fact that my starting position is typically third base.” Cheryl smirked at Toni once again.

With a smile on her face, Veronica simply watched this encounter between the two unfold. She knew both girls were confident and strong young women and figured they would make a strong trio in the infield.

“I like a challenge.” Toni certainly hoped that this Cheryl girl was as good as she made herself sound. She wanted a chance to play with her.

“Veronica over here plays shortstop, and she’s certainly the best one I’ve ever seen. She rarely lets anything get past her. Her work ethic is incredible. You should practice with us sometime.”

“Yeah, I would like that,” Toni replied with a genuine smile on her face, hopeful that she would be able to make good friends out of the two girls.

The girls continued to talk about their history playing softball and other sports. Toni admitted to focusing all her effort on softball and learned that Veronica formerly played soccer but quit to put all her energy into softball. Cheryl confessed that she also played basketball when she was in junior high and wished that she had tried out for their school’s team earlier that year.

“There are so many gay girls that play basketball. Are you sure you’re straight, Bombshell? I mean, you do have a history playing two of the gayest sports: softball and basketball,” Toni remarked.

Cheryl was sent into a panic. She had put in so much work the past two years, trying to suppress any feelings regarding her sexuality. She did not want to open up those old wounds this early into her high school career.

Veronica sensed Cheryl’s unease and was well-aware of Cheryl’s situation. She knew what happened in junior high and was knowledgeable of the Blossom parents’ relationship with their daughter. She looked at Cheryl with questioning eyes, trying to ask her if she wanted to open up to Toni, or if she wanted to brush off the question.

Everything about Cheryl’s body language said she needed to escape. Her eyes were focused on the ground. She felt like she couldn’t breathe and hoped that she wasn’t about to have a panic attack right before tryouts. She closed her eyes, trying to calm herself down.

After a few moments of silence, Cheryl finally shook her head in response, to which Veronica elaborated on.

“Cheryl’s as straight as they come, unfortunate for you and me both, Toni.” She wanted to ease the tension in the air, hoping they would move on. She wanted to make sure Cheryl was comfortable.

Thankfully, the head coach, Brad, called them together, asking them to put on white shirts with numbers on them. Cheryl was 25, Veronica was 26, and Toni was 27. There were 30 girls at tryouts, and only 24 of them would be joining the program.

“These numbers are your tryout numbers. Seeing that today is Monday, by lunchtime on Friday, I will put up a list with final cuts on the glass wall of the gym. If you see your tryout number on the list, that means that you have made a team, whether that be Varsity or Junior Varsity, and I expect that you will devote a notable amount of your time and energy to making SOQM’s softball program even stronger than it was before.”

“Yes, Coach!” All the girls responded in harmony.

“Everyone, go to the position you’re most comfortable playing. Infield, I only want one person at each position at a time. Thus, if it’s not your turn, I assume that you’ll either be waiting by the first base or third base line. The same goes for you outfield, with the exception of center field. At least leave 10 feet between you and the person whose turn it is. Now go. I expect all of you to hustle. No walking on the field!”

With that said, Cheryl, Toni, and Veronica all ran to take up their positions on the infield. They all ran rather quickly, hoping to get to the field first. The trio hoped the rotations would work out so that the three would always be on the field at the same time.

This time, luck worked out in their favor. There were exactly four people lined up at each position: first, second, short, and third.

They started off all taking grounders and throwing them to first. In Toni’s case, all she had to do was tag her base.

Coach Brad hit the first grounder to Cheryl. It was going relatively fast down the third base line, causing Cheryl to use her backhand, but she was still able to field the ball and follow it up with a good throw right to Toni’s glove.

Toni sent a smile towards Cheryl, as well as a thumbs up to say something along the lines of “good throw.”

It was Veronica’s turn next, and the ball Coach hit her ended up being a one-hopper. Her quick reaction time and fast footwork allowed her to move with the ball, successfully fielding it and throwing the ball to Toni.

After the second baseman fielded the ball, Coach pointed the bat in Toni’s direction and yelled, “your turn.”

So far, Toni caught everything that had come her way. Given, both Cheryl and Veronica’s throws went perfectly to her chest, but the second baseman’s throw was slightly high and caused Toni to jump up to catch the ball.

Still, Toni had proved she could catch _anything_.

The grounder Coach Brad hit Toni was relatively faster than the ones he hit the other three girls, yet Toni charged the ball, turned around, and rapidly ran back to the base all before the runner was even halfway there.

“Damn. This girl has speed,” Cheryl expressed to herself with awe in her voice. Now Cheryl was certainly drawn to the girl. Toni was undeniably someone that could keep up with Cheryl.

Coach Brad then hit pop-ups to those in the outfield. He intentionally hit them over their heads, checking to see if the girls would either backpedal or turn and run. Most of the girls did the latter, and he took note of the ones that didn’t.

After an hour of fielding, the girls moved onto batting for the other half of tryouts.

“I’m going to split you into groups so that we can do different hitting stations. Ten minutes at each station, and then rotate in a clockwise manner.”

He had them stand in a line and count off numbers one through six to split them into groups. Seeing that Veronica and Cheryl were standing next to each other, they were split into different groups.

Luckily for Cheryl, she would not be alone in her group. Just as they got to the end of the line, Toni said her number and moved over to where Cheryl was standing.

“Guess fate has a way of keeping us together,” Toni quipped.

There was one other girl in their group, who was essentially an outsider the entirety of the time.  
The two knew that now was not the time for conversation so they held off on trying to get to know each other. Their first station was the tee.

“I’m always first,” Cheryl stated matter-of-factly, taking up position behind the tee and gesturing for Toni to sit on the bucket of balls.

Toni moved to the bucket, the third girl in their group standing off to the side, awaiting her turn.  
There was some type of energy between the redhead and the brunette, one that connected them and allowed for them to work in sync.

Toni would put a ball on the tee, and Cheryl would hit it into the net. For the majority of the bucket, this all happened with a steady rhythm.

“Look, none of the balls I put on the tee have rolled off yet,” Toni remarked with a giggle, rather proud of this, as it rarely ever happens to her.

She reached into the bucket, grabbing the last ball.  
  
“Alright, Bombshell, last one.” Cheryl took note of the fact that Toni had called her Bombshell, smiling to herself.

Just as Cheryl moved her arms back to hit the ball, it fell off the tee and rolled away from them.

Cheryl broke out laughing, while Toni sat there, arms crossed and a scowl on her face.

“Guess you spoke too soon.”

Toni just glared at her in return, getting off the bucket to retrieve the ball. She put it back on the tee, successfully this time, and Cheryl hit the ball into the net.

Toni, Cheryl, and the outsider all worked together to attempt to transfer the balls from the net to the bucket all in one try.

“Toni, you hold the bucket, while the two of us guide the balls into the bucket,” Cheryl delegated, gesturing to her and the other girl as she finished her statement.

“Fuck. Not too many at a time, you incompetent being,” Cheryl scolded the third girl as she tried directing too many balls into the bucket at one time. They were going off in different directions, some of them bouncing off the rim of the bucket and rolling a sum distance away from them.

Toni could tell Cheryl was getting flustered, as her ears were getting red and an unsettling look graced her face. She did not want the girl to cause a scene and draw Coach’s attention for not being able to work together well.

“Calm down, Cheryl. I’ll go get them,” she said, quickly going to retrieve the balls that failed to make it into the bucket.

After the minor setback caused by Cheryl’s outburst, Toni and the other girl were able to complete their turns before having to move onto the batting cages.

“The pitching machine is sort of off balance, causing some of the pitches to be a little too inside. Be aware of this, and adjust the machine accordingly. I suggest watching the first five pitches to make sure it’s where you need it to be,” Coach informed the girls.

Feeling slightly apologetic for her dramatics, she allowed Toni to go first this time, offering to feed the balls into the machine for her.

“You heard Coach. Stand back. I’m gonna feed five balls into the machine. Let me know if they’re in the strike zone because they’re going 65 mph, and it will certainly hurt if you get hit.”

Cheryl fed ball after ball into the machine. They seemed to be fine, which Toni confirmed, giving Cheryl a thumbs up as she approached the plate.

The next ball was a perfect strike. Cheryl could tell it was going down the plate perfectly. Before she knew it, the ball was headed straight back in her direction, as Toni hit a line drive back at her.

It hit the fence about an inch from the opening where the pitching machine was, and Cheryl had to hold back from doing a bloody scream as it hit the fence with such force that the it rattled considerably.

“Toni!” Cheryl exclaimed, still frazzled at the fact that Toni had hit the ball right back at her.

“Just doing my job, Bombshell.” Toni wasn’t wrong. If this were a game, that would be a perfect hit. So Cheryl let it go, continuing to feed balls into the machine, to which Toni kept pounding.

Toni hit every single strike that came her way, and even successfully hit all the outside and inside pitches. Most of the balls Toni hit were line drives or fast grounders, with Toni getting under a couple of them, causing them to pop up. That was understandable, though. They were going through two buckets, and Cheryl certainly did not expect perfection from the girl.

Nevertheless, she did expect perfection from herself. She had to be flawless, nothing short of that. When it was her turn to hit, Toni let the third girl in their group feed the pitches to her. Cheryl watched the first pitch, asking the girl to shift the machine slightly to the left because the pitches seemed to be off the plate. The girl adjusted the machine accordingly, and Cheryl watched the next four perfect pitches go by.

She stepped up to the plate as the girl went to retrieve the ball bucket from her left to move them to her right side. As she was moving the bucket, she accidentally moved the machine a bit to the right. Both her and Cheryl were unaware of her mistake, and as soon as the ball left the machine, it was headed straight for Cheryl.

Cheryl didn’t react soon enough. It almost seemed as if her feet were glued to the ground, as she made no move to get out of harm’s way. Soon enough, Cheryl screamed with the entirety of her body. She moved her hand to her left bicep, where the imprint of the ball was seen.

Cheryl’s scream was the loudest, most piercing scream Toni had ever heard. It sounded like a scream of utter panic, causing the hairs on Toni’s neck to stand straight up. As soon as Toni got over the initial shock of hearing Cheryl scream, she ran from her spot next to the girl whose fault it was.

Toni entered the cage, quickly sprinting to be by Cheryl’s side. She could tell the girl was holding back from letting a plethora of profanities slip.

“Let me see, Cheryl,” Toni said gently to the redhead, causing her to soften her face. She was not used to being treated with such care in such a long time. But here Toni was, with her hand on Cheryl’s wordlessly asking if she would move her hand so that Toni could assess the damage the other girl had done.

Cheryl moved her hand, showing Toni where she had been hit. Toni was certain Cheryl was going to bruise. That ball had come at her at 65 mph and hit her right on the arm.

“C’mon, let’s go get you some ice to put on your arm. I’ll have _her_ tell Coach what happened, but I’m sure he already heard you scream.” Toni walked with Cheryl out of the cage, taking off the Cheryl’s helmet and quickly telling the other girl to tell Coach what she did to the redhead.

The girls walked down the steps to the gym, hoping that someone would be in the Athletic Office with an instant ice pack. The person at the desk handed Toni an ice pack after she explained the situation.

“Here. Put this on for a little bit to bring down the swelling,” Toni said as she handed Cheryl the ice pack.

“I want to go back up there. I have to show Coach that I can push through anything.”

“Are you sure, Cheryl? You’re going to end up with a pretty large bruise. You might want to ice it for a little bit.”

Cheryl reluctantly agreed, thinking it would be best to ice her arm for a little bit before returning. The girls sat down on the floor of the gym foyer. Cheryl had the ice pack on her arm, and Toni was carefully watching the girl, as if she was about to break from the small hit.

In all honesty, Cheryl’s arm did not hurt that much. She could work through it. After about ten minutes of icing her arm, Cheryl told Toni that she thought it would be best for them to go back up. It was tryouts after all. Seeing that they were freshmen, this would be the first time Coach Brad would be seeing them. They did not want Coach Brad or the other coaches to think they were ditching or that they would quit after such a minor injury.

With that said, Cheryl and Toni made their way back up the steps to the batting cages.

“Hi, Coach, we’re back and ready to work. Cheryl had a minor injury, but she assured me she’s OK to finish hitting.”

The coach looked back at them with a pleased smile on his face.

“I admire that dedication. You’re doing soft toss now. Your other group member is already over there, working with Veronica.” He motioned for them to move towards Veronica and the other girl.

Cheryl and Toni walked over to the soft toss station. Toni occasionally stole glances in Cheryl’s direction just to be sure that the girl was indeed in good health.

The redhead seemed to be taking the hit pretty well. In fact, Cheryl seemed completely unfazed about what had happened. There were no apparent signs of pain on her face. If it were her, she would be completely sulking right now.

Just before Cheryl and Toni were about to get to the soft toss station, Toni stopped them.

“Are you absolutely positive you want to get back there,” she questioned, gently running her fingers over the bruise beginning to form on Cheryl’s arm. She looked at Cheryl with such tenderness.

But Cheryl had to fight that look. She had to be careful not to get lost in Toni’s eyes. It would be stupid of her to let the solid wall she built fall so effortlessly at the hands of someone she just met.

“Oh Toni, fear not. Bombshell is up and running.” With that, Cheryl continued her walk to Veronica and the girl that was at fault, leaving Toni behind to catch up to her.

Toni did not understand why she was so drawn to this girl. It’s not like they had known each other for years. They just met. It was weird for Toni to respond to someone in this fashion. She cared for the girl, almost feeling an inherent need to protect her at all costs.

Toni hoped that the third girl in their group wouldn’t make Varsity. Not due to the fact that she had caused Cheryl pain, although that may in part be one of the reasons she didn’t want her to make it, but the girl was not even that good. From what little she had seen from the girl, it did not seem like she put much outside practice into her craft.

After getting lost in her thoughts, Toni quickly recovered, running to catch up with Cheryl, Veronica, and _her_.

“What happened? All I know is that Coach called me to be her partner because you two had to go to the gym to get an ice pack,” Veronica verbalized what she knew to the pair that approached them.

“Took a hit from the pitching machine, all at her hands,” Cheryl clarified, sending a glare in the girl’s direction, hoping karma would come for the girl that was at fault.

“Yeah, I took her down to the Athletic Office to get an ice pack. She’ll most likely still have a rather large bruise on her arm, but at least the swelling will be reduced,” Toni explained, hoping that the bruise wouldn’t be too large, although she wasn’t naive enough to believe in that.

“Aw, look at you, Cheryl. Letting someone else take care of you?” Veronica dramatically feigned shock at the fact that Cheryl would allow someone else to help her.

“Shut it, V.”

Veronica moved closer to Cheryl so that only she would be capable of hearing her next words.

“It’s OK to let other people in, you know?”

Cheryl was disinclined to believe the girl’s words. She did not want to believe them. She’d had enough of being weak in junior high. It was time for her to be strong. High school was her time to be independent. She did not want to have to care for other people’s feelings. It would only bring her down in the end. She just wanted to be completely self-sufficient. Besides that, she was happy with the people she had in her life. She had Veronica, and she had Jason. She had a best friend and a big brother. She did not need any else in her life. Or did she?

Instead of responding to what Veronica said to her, she decided it would be best if they focused on softball.

“I’m gonna hit now. Veronica, make use of yourself and toss the balls to me.” Cheryl once again put up a wall, focusing her energy on everything but her feelings.

That was how the rest of the tryouts had gone. Cheryl hit the balls, driving all of them into the net. Toni hit after her, doing just the same. After finishing soft toss, they completed the other stations.

They rarely exchanged any words for the rest of the day, as both could tell they were past the point of talking and needed to focus on softball. They couldn’t keep getting distracted and lost in conversation.

Cheryl did not see the point in continuing to put her energy into something as meaningless as conversation. It just posed itself as a distraction to the goal: Varsity. Though, this was all a part of a greater mission.

She needed to prove to her parents that she was perfect. She wanted to show them that they could be proud of her. Making Varsity was only one way to prove to her parents that she was worthy of their love and affection.

But her parents were the Blossoms after all. Though they believed their children were made in God’s perfect image, they also believed that their children had to continue working towards perfection in order to receive entrance into the heavenly kingdom.

The mark that was slowly forming on Cheryl’s arm was just further proof that Cheryl was not perfect. In her eyes, she was damaged goods, and her parents made sure that Cheryl internalized that mentality.

When Penelope picked Cheryl up from SOQM, her eyes were fixed upon the blemish on Cheryl’s arm. By now, her arm had turned an undeniable red that could not be missed by the naked eye.

“What’s that on your arm, Cheryl?” Penelope questioned Cheryl, nothing but disdain in her voice, just as she always regards her.

“I got hit.” Cheryl replied curtly, not wanting to talk about it.

“If I were to assume things about the situation, I would guess that it was your fault.” Penelope tried to make Cheryl feel guilty about what happened. It just had to be Cheryl’s fault. Everything suffered at her hands, even herself.

Cheryl just sat in the car, not saying a word. She did not want to anger her mother, wanting the rest of the ride home to be quiet.

But as always, Cheryl couldn’t have her way with Penelope. She just had to keep speaking.

“Move next time, Cheryl. We can’t have your body stained with _visible_ imperfections.”

It was just a bruise. It would go away with time. She didn’t understand why her mom was giving her such a hard time about a bruise.

Cheryl nodded her head in response, simply agreeing to do what she said next time, but also hoping that there would not be a next time.

The rest of their short, ten minute ride home was spent in complete quiet, with only the sound of the radio in the background.

Once Cheryl got home, she immediately made her way up to her room, taking off her clothes and making her way to the shower. She wanted to take a nice, hot shower. She wanted the water to be so hot that it would slightly burn her skin, causing it to tingle. She hoped that she could wash off the cold feeling Penelope had left her with.

After spending a solid half an hour under the burning hot water, Cheryl opened the door to the bathroom, letting a rush of steam exit the room. She walked over to her bedroom, plopping down on her bed without getting changed.

Cheryl was drained. Not just physically drained but emotionally, as well. She felt defeated.

Yet, all of those feelings washed away as Cheryl’s phone vibrated, signaling a text. She moved over to pick up her phone and saw that it was an unknown number.

Unknown [6:27 PM]: Hope you’re OK, Bombshell. Rest easy tonight so we can kick some major ass tomorrow.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know where you would like the direction of this fic to go. Do you want it to be centered around softball, school, religion? All of the above? Kudos and comments are appreciated, as always!
> 
> xoxo

**Author's Note:**

> This story is somewhat auto-biographical, as I've always wanted to write a book about what I've dealt with at home, but I never got around to it. So welcome to my universe. Hope you enjoy your stay!


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